It's somehow fitting that this story -- about the pending deportation of yet another American who was adopted into his family -- is occurring during the 50th Anniversary of the Selma march. I'm not suggesting the two are exactly analogous, but pointing out that there are many areas of civil rights in which injustices remain and in which we need to make significant progress.

The last time I wrote about this issue, about the deportation of adopted people who were born in other countries after committing crimes in the U.S., was over two years ago. I said then, and I repeat in light of this new case today, that criminals should absolutely be punished -- but sending them to a place where they know no one and don't speak the native language is simply appalling and over the line.